Pages

Friday, 26 April 2019

Ten Meg-a-Memorable Maternity Looks

With the Duchess of Sussex in the final days of her pregnancy, and reporters claiming the Duchess is due this week, possibly overdue now, I thought it would be fun to look back on Meghan's maternity wardrobe. I've selected ten looks which stood out for me and encompassed the Duchess' maternity style since the Palace confirmed she was expecting last October.

Preparing a wardrobe for your first royal tour as a member of the Royal family is no mean feat; especially when it encompasses four countries, sixteen days, climatic and cultural considerations too. In addition to those factors, Meghan needed a wardrobe to accommodate the early months of pregnancy. When Harry and Meghan stepped out in Sydney on the first day of the tour, they were both in terrific spirits following the big announcement. Meghan was effortlessly elegant wearing a tried and trusted formula: neutral, quality pieces. Meghan began with a touch of sartorial diplomacy, selecting a trench by Australian designer Martin Grant and a sleek white sleeveless dress by Karen Gee. Meghan accessorised with her Stuart Weitzman Legend pumps and Diana's striking butterfly earrings and gold bracelet with blue stones.

When I think of Meghan's maternity evening looks, the gorgeous Fijian blue Safiyaa Ginkgo Cape Dress stands out to me for several reasons: it was the most formal evening event the Duchess had attended as a royal and her first gown appearance since the wedding; and it was the first occasion when we saw Meghan's bump. It was a stunning look for her, complemented with dazzling statement earrings and Diana's shimmering diamond bracelet.

Meghan chose an eye-catching sky blue Veronica Beard Cary shirtdress for a fabulous day in Tonga. During the second leg of the tour, we saw the Duchess embracing vibrant hues and this particular shade of blue was just beautiful on her. I particularly loved the choice of styling here: a pair of baby blue Banana Republic Madison shoes, a statement necklace and a sleek ponytail.

Back in London in late November, the Duchess paid a special visit to to the Hubb Community Kitchen this morning to see how the funds raised by Together: Our Community Cookbook are already making a difference. With the festive season arrivng, Meghan hit all the right notes in the burgundy Daylina coat and Sallyet dress by Club Monaco. Meghan completed the look with Givenchy ankle boots and delicate gold jewellery.

Meghan made a stylish arrival for a day of engagements in Birkenhead wearing a red Sentaler coat and purple Artizia dress. The Duchess tends to opt for neutrals more often than not, so this colour-block look was a fashion surprise for fans and a very memorable maternity look. Meghan teamed them with red Stuart Weitzman pumps, the Gabriela Hearst Demi bag and Pippa Small earrings.

The secret weapon in Meghan's maternity wardrobe? William Vintage. The London store offers vintage haute couture pieces often in pristine condition. It's a treasure trove full of classic pieces including ones with silhouettes perfectly suited to maternity styling. For a visit to snowy Bristol, Meghan teamed one of their coats...

The Duchess was radiant in cream for a gala performance of The Wider Earth in support of the Queen's Commonwealth Trust and the Queen's Commonwealth Canopy. Meghan brought back her popular Amanda Wakeley Sculpted Coat from the Commonwealth Day Service last year and styled it with a Calvin Klein rollneck dress, and her olive green Ralph Lauren pumps and clutch from Louis' christening.

It was regal red Valentino for Harry and Meghan's arrival in Morocco in February. The timeless dress with embroidered capelet was the perfect choice for the occasion. The shade of red looked lovely on her and provided a very nice sartorial nod to her host country. Not only is red the primary colour of the Moroccan flag, it represents hardiness, bravery, strength and valour. It was styled with an updo, a Valentino Vring bag and Gianvito Rossi pumps.

On Commonwealth Day, 11 March, the Duchess made one of her final public appearances, attending an event celebrating young Canadians living around the UK. She chose a gorgeous bespoke ensemble by Erdem. The choice of designer was a fitting one; Canadian Erdem has been established in London since 2005. Meghan has been a fan of his designs since she lived in Toronto. The rich bottle green coat and dress are crafted in wool fabric and feature black floral beaded embellishment. It was teamed with Birks earrings, a Givenchy clutch and Meghan's go-to Aquazzura Deneuve pumps.

These are my favourite ensembles; share yours in the comments while we wait for Baby Sussex :)

163 comments:

The red Valentino for sure!!! Absolutely loved everything about it! I think the thing I probably loved most was it wasn't a maternity dress? She just looked gorgeous. I can see her taking the hem up a smidge and wearing this again!

The only look I didn't like was the silk chiffon dress. It's not even the dress so much as with a slingback or different shoe it would have been OK. But the boots were too heavy for such a light dress.

You do the best job Charlotte - thanks for keeping us occupied. Now even my husband is asking, "Jeez she hasn't had that baby yet?"

I agree with Rita...thanks for your great post Charlotte and keeping us occupied while we wait for this sweet baby. I think my favorite look is the Oscar de la Renta dress with those beautiful olive green boots. I really love her maternity style...chic and classy. I can’t wait to see how their little one will be dressed as he/she grows up.

Meghan was stunning in her choices for her maternity wear throughout her pregnancy. I especially liked the sophisticated looks she wears in particular the A-Line ones with her lovely suede pumps awesome Meghan!. Can't wait for her bundle of joy baby Sussex birth.

Yes, waiting is hard for us Gaby, but think how difficult it is for Meghan. She likely is having trouble sleeping and just getting comfortable. As for her maternity looks, I didn't care for many of them. When she wore regular clothes in larger sizes they fit poorly and often looked messy and stretched. The few actual maternity outfits looked better and I did like the red Valentino.

Good choices Charlotte! I liked all of these except that red and purple outfit and the green dress at the end (though the green coat was good). I felt like she looked much better when she embraced maternity clothes and stopped the awkwardly-altered high-end designer stuff like the Roland Mouret gown or the Endeavor Fund skirt-shirt combo. She's such a lovely person and I look forward to see her next style evolution!

Such an interesting topic for discussion and just in time before 'fever' with the arrival of Baby Sussex. Generally I agree with your choices and I'm glad to see my favourite looks in this summary, although insted of red-purple look from Birkenhead and creamy from "The Wider Earth" I would pick this:-dress from Bondi Beach in Australiahttps://cdn.newsapi.com.au/image/v1/c79cda7006e915e64ce1da98a189d54f-cream dress from first visit to National Theatrehttps://hips.hearstapps.com/hmg-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/images/meghan-brandon-maxwell-dress-1548854753.jpg

Thank you, Charlotte, for keeping us occupied! Out of your 10 choices, my top 3 are: the white sleeveless dress by Karen Gee, the blue Veronica Beard Cary shirtdress and the combo of the burgundy Daylina coat and Sallyet dress by Club Monaco. I think she looked fresh and elegant in all 3 of them.

Terrible teasing Charlotte ahahaha each time I give a look to that blog hoping to get news , I am disappointed , and suddenly ... whaou here she is .... ooooooh nooooo ? Not yet ? And Charlottendiscoverd à way of keeping our mind busy , that’s ever so kind !I cannot really make a choice , I’ll just let the Erdem on the side of the road as I very deeply hate what this man does .... everything ! I might elect her look when she visited the Atlas Mountains , because it is so unusual for a royal and so appropriate to the situations (both her beeing pregnant and needing to feel well and safe , and the people she was going to meet) . thank you Charlotte , I cross my fingers for a baby on May 6th , my mum’s birth date , as she did not make it for April 17th , my own date ... most of all, I am very impatient if she is a she or he is a he ..... !

Nicole, I agree! When I spotted Charlotte’s new post I thought, “Baby Sussex has arrived!”...but no lolAnd for me, it’s also the Atlas Mountains look. I love those Birdie slippers & her scarf. She looked very chic & comfortable.

I love the Oscar de le Renta -- and it was such a surprise. I really love her Bondi Beach dress -- she was just so cute there. The brocade dress at Charles' event is one of my favorites.

I feel like we have seen her pregnant more than nonpregnant. Looking back at her engagement photo on the beautiful gown and at the wedding, it's hard to remember her that tiny. I bet she feels the same way.

Having the tours during pregnancy really enhanced the number of outfits, and there was a variety. Thanks for showing this!

I loved everything she wore. The least favorite was the green Erdem. But my very favorites aren't pictured and they are the divine Oscar de la Renta black & white bird dress. That was a KO. The second favorite was the cream colored long gown she wore in Morocco. Took my breath away!

I keep checking Twitter for news of baby Sussex. Boy or girl? I can hardly wait!

Ahhhh I can't wait for her to be back! My hunch was that the baby would be born anywhere between April 25th-27th, although I was hoping she'd go into labor before now.

My absolute favorite maternity look was the Oscar de la Renta bird dress from the tour. Honestly, it's probably my favorite look of hers ever, yet. I really can't wait to see her royal wardrobe evolve post-baby. I also loved the shock of red/purple, as well as that adorable all-black ensemble she sported not too long ago....I can't remember the designers, but she had a cute cap-sleeve coat and a super chic bun that day. Loved it!

Do y'all think she'll have anything tailored for post-maternity? Just asking because I too loved the print Oscar de la Renta and would love to see it again... Of course, it might be seen again for another baby;) -op

What a lovely post, thank you Charlotte for your hard work. The only look im not fond of was the cream Wider Earth ensemble but the green shoes, what id give for those. And those gorgeous pale blue shoes, seriously hope to see them again. The green Erdem is fabulous too. On a jewellery note, the Duchess was wearing the most stunning Paspaley pearl drop earrings (from their Levallier collection) when she and Harry left Sydney and i look forward to seeing her wear them again. Not long now till Baby arrives. Bronwyn, Sydney.

I feel like she will wait to have anything tailored. crazy as it sounds, I think she will try and get pregnant again as soon as she can so they can have as many as possible. she has a short window if they want more than one baby. she does pregnant so well so hopefully she can have one or 2 more before she gets "too old" - and she is younger than I so no offence intended! I do hope they get to have a couple at least. also I was in the camp that thought after marrying she would try right away and not wait for any tour or any thing else to stand in the way of having children, they just don't have time to burn!

Your post includes many of my favourite looks. The green Erdem (which night be the only Erdem style I have ever liked), the all white Calvin Klein and the vibrant colour block Sentaler/Artizia were all beautiful looks. I also loved the shimmery Mouret and the velvet one shoulder gown. There were more beautiful looks but these five absolutely killed it. Looking back all her pregnancy looks have been either a very high high or a very low low for me. Which is an improvement because I wasn’t impressed with her style before. I hope she can rest (thank god it’s a bit cooler again) and enjoy the last days of her pregnancy. Who knows maybe the weather change will end the wait now?C.

The red and purple ensemble was actually my very favorite! The colors complemented her perfectly and she pulled it off effortlessly, as she seems to do most things. I’m checking in every day waiting for news of Baby Sussex! And honestly, I’d love to see some of Doria’s outfits too as the handfuls of times I’ve seen her she’s looked well polished and put together as well. I’m thinking Meghan has probably gotten some of her taste and class from her mom, which I love. What a sweet family!

Charlotte, thanks for the retrospective. All these are fine examples of Meghan’s sophisticated style. The black and white Oscar de la Renta cocktail dress she wore in Australia makes my list. Obsessively checking media daily now when I wake, since that’s mid-day in the UK. Wouldn’t it be remarkable if Baby Sussex arrives on the 29th, William and Kate’s wedding anniversary?

Thanks for this lovely top ten, Charlotte! Really enjoyed looking through the maternity looks all put together. I saw a retrospective of Meghan's maternity looks at People magazine, and she just looked stunning and elegant, not to mention joyful throughout. There were a couple of looks I felt indifferent about at the time, but in retrospect, she always looked good and lived her pregnancy with great style. My personal favourites were her swing coats, especially her vintage looks, the Karen Gee worn with the trench, the ineffably elegant look of Meghan floating down the stairs in the blue evening dress in Fiji, and the jeans and blazer combo in the Atlas mountains. What I noticed most, though, was Meghan's obvious happiness with her pregnancy, and her protectivenss toward her little one. It appears Baby Sussex was very active, but in all public appearances she always gave me the impression that felt Baby was making an appearance too, and she took precautions to keep Baby calm and not too irritated by the crowds and noise. The bump cradling always appeared to me to soothe both mum and baby.

I liked her very much in the black one shoulder and the red Valention. In general though I did not understand why she avoided matarnity clothes at a ll cost and instead made some really ill fitting choices like the flowery Oscar de la Renta and the purple Artizia.

Charlotte,Thank you for this lovely post.As others have commented, in every outing she looks blissful, engaged with people at event and protective of Baby. Thank you for pointing out how Charles always talks to her at length when they are seen together, as he did at his Investiture anniversary. That day Meghan wore the brocade dress with white Amanda Wakeley coat and blush accessories, another great look.I also loved the everyday casual stripes and olive outfit in Rabat. I always like when she re-uses her pre-pregnancy coats/ jackets.RGreen

Meghan made so beautiful choices for her maternity. My preference goes to the Theia floor-length white gown she wore in Tonga.And for a daytime look, the one she wore on March 8th : the retro-styled dress with black and white graphic patterns by Reiss.Lila (from France)

I'm thinking we'll see pictures in the Sunday papers or on IG. It would be good timing. Sort of spaced in between other news events. I do wonder about the Long Walk press conference plan. Apparently, it won't be a photo op ,just a release of information, since the photos are to involve one photographer and one reporter. I still doubt a pre-birth, labour announcement. I think that may have just been a crumb thrown to the media to hold off some of the intrusiveness and a nod to expectations. I think photos will be released initially with a follow-up press conference. At least that scenario makes sense to me, considering other factors.

I agree that not announcing labor, given the private way they've set up the rest of the birth, would make a lot of sense in general. However I think it'd be a horrible precedent to say they will announce labor & not actually ever plan to do so. Media (and public) could really never trust another thing they/their office ever said again if they ever intentionally lied like that. It'd totally destroy any perceived integrity of their press office thus making it useless at its purpose. But they obviously will have flexibility in exactly how long they wait to announce labor which assuming it's a home birth they cld delay as long as they want. Only scenario it'd be OK not to announce after saying they would is ofc like if there were complications etc during the labor but that's different from nvr intending to announce it.

Also the 1 pool photographer setup is ofc fine but I'm going to be a little sad if it's them controlling what pics get released instead of being a quick actual photocall. I have a feeling that's whats gonna happen tho.

Another scenario, Maggie- if labour is completed during London overnight hours. The fact that the labour reference was included in the press aside, but not in the release meant for the public is significant to me. Almost an attempt to avoid loss of public faith in palace releases , as you describe, in the event that there ended up being no pre-birth notice. Dickie Arbeiter said in an interview a couple weeks ago that there would be no announcements before the couple had had their private time with the child after the birth. He supposedly spoke on authority. He seemed to indicate no labour announcement. There seems to be a lack of coordination amongst the palace and others involved in giving information. If they are confused it is no wonder the public is off balance. Personally, I think the labour coarse is nobody's business, except perhaps in the case of a Monarch. The words "pregnant" and "labour" were not used in public press releases in reference to HM. There was a notice that HM would not be seen for awhile, followed by the formal birth announcement. I truly hope Meghan is given her privacy and dignity.

I love the Oscar de la Renta bird print dress Meghan wore while on tour. I love the green Erdem coat and dress, but my favorite maternity look is the red Valentino dress she wore in Morocco. She looked regal in it.

Looking back at her maternity styles I'm struck by how often Meghan did one of the oldest tricks in the book -- long baggy coat over a dress. Since I'm a teacher I'm used to seeing that particular trick among teens who get pregnant. It kind of worked for her but I do wish she had just bought more maternity pieces instead of so many baggy coats. I suppose the coats can be resized but as I said, it's just a really old-fashioned style of "hiding" pregnancy.

Anyway I can't wait for Baby Sussex to arrive! I feel like the actual arrival of the bundle of joy will alleviate a lot of the negative press that's been swirling around the BRF. I also hope that if the rumors of the rift between William and Harry are true then the arrival might heal some of the wounds.

Well, it was kind of cold during the winter, at least the part of waering a coat didnt have to do that much with hidding I would say.In general, my interpretation was rather that Meghan was pretty much higlighting her pregnany with tight clothes, especially when you would compare to Kate who was waering a lot of looser fitted clothes in patterns and dark colors (Im just comparing in a very objective way, I am fine with both =))

My favorite one's aren't listed here, but they were the maroon Hugo Boss dress she wore when leaving Australia, the maroon/burgundy polka dotted dress, the Banks trench coat from New Zealand, the striped Martin Grant dress and the red self portrait dress from Tonga. I hope we see a repeat of those dresses when Meghan comes back from mat leave =) I also hope we see a reappearance of those gorgeous earrings that she had on when they were leaving Australia. They were divine.

I’m so glad you added the blue Veronica Beard shirtdress. That’s one of my favorite looks ever on her, especially as she styled it. I think that’s the first time she had pulled her hair back in that fashion, and she looked stunning!-Duch

Thinking of it , the Kaftan-style Dior gown Meghan wore in Marocco was also a gorgeous piece ! Not especially maternity cloth , so I hope she recycles it soon or late , the material seemed flowing around her , and the colour was a perfect match with her skin tone ! Well ... another day without a baby .... I make myself laugh feeling that impatient , grandma’s syndrome ahahahaha A good Sunday to everybody !

I like very much the 3 first outfits. She was hardly 2 months pregnant at that time, so I don't call it maternity looks. Once the baby bump truly showed, the Oscar de la Renta and Ralph Lauren dresses really enchanted me. She was so classy in these 2 dresses. The accessories were lovely too ! She was glowing !

I like her early choices best — white sleeveless dress, that blue cape dress, and the blue shirt dress. My favorite later outfit was the green Erdem. So many outfits looked too tight and not comfortable and in many hung poorly. The way she absolutely glowed, however, was her best look!!

I was so sure that the “end of April, beginning of May “ was just a ruse to throw the press off the scent and that Baby Grace would arrive mid to late March. But noooo, here it’s almost the end of April and still no precious delivery. As excited and impatient as I am, I can only imagine that Doria, Harry and especially Meghan are even more so!

I always felt that it was important to take Meghan at her word when she said late April/early May, and I wish a lot of others had done that too. While I never expected her to give a precise date, she does not seem like someone who would give a decoy response or a ruse. Every type of communication Meghan and Harry have given to the media and public have been honest, and I believed Meghan was equally honest about her due date time frame. She has not given us any reason to doubt her. I wish everyone would take a deep breath and be patient. The baby will come when it is ready.

I have loved her fashion throughout her pregnancy. It’s nearly impossible to pick favorites but my top 5 would be the black and white bird dress from Australian Geographic Society Awards worn in Sydney, printed Oscar de la Renta midi dress from Bristol (also on your list), the blush Brandon Maxwell dress and blazer from National Theater, Reformation Dress from Fraser Island and the gray and floral dress from Brinsworth House.

I’m hoping that since she’s had such amazing fashion during her pregnancy, maybe one of the outfits will make an appearance for their first official photos, the Roksanda Ilinčić navy and periwinkle Athena Pleated Midi Dress from Sydney would be my vote.

Look like Meghans statement of being due end of April/beginning of May is very true! It makes me think that the initial vague announcement of Kensington Palace that said "Spring" was not stating a month since her due date made it difficult to decide for a month. If they would have said "April", people would have gone crazy by now. While "May" is probably simply not her due date.

My absolute favorite was the black and white bird print dress. It had a vintage feel to it with the full skirt and to my 8 y/o Meghan looked like a fairy tale princess in it. Her brother will be 14 tomorrow is I'm hoping, keeping fingers crossed for an April 30th birthday for Baby Sussex.

I don't understand why KP/BP did not make an official "end of April, first of May" statement. That would have cleared a lot of the confusion. That and a later date for the "has completed scheduled" activities anouncement, followed by word of further activity. We were to credit a reporter's quote of a bystander's quote of a seemingly off-hand remark Meghan made in response to crowd questions. I don't recall if there was video of Meghan's remark. If so, it is even more incomprehensible why the remark was not included in a social media account statement. That seems to be the incubator for most of the speculation. Or the couple could have verified the information themselves on their IG site. Instead we get presented with more vagueness related to the information that there was to be no information given regarding location for birth. Then we have friends, reporters, and even William chiming in in the information vacuum that was created. Seriously, William has "no idea?" "I don't have my phone with me?" That remark was made after he and Kate had reportedly visited Meghan at home a few days before. These methods are an effective way to create interest and Buzz for an event, but not for decreasing speculation, I mentioned earlier the coming Gayle King special. From her remarks given at the end of a talk show today, after waiting through the entire show for it, I got the impression that her new special is based on interviews she did during her wedding coverage special. She did indicate that they did not know the sex and apparently the child (not plural) is yet unborn. I now wonder if this program is meant to serve as a needed ratings boost based on re-cycled news more than a current statement about the couple and baby. I was anticipating a real in-depth discussion based upon current interviews with the couple. Otherwise, it will be just more of the same media drivel.

To think so many people thought Meghan was fibbing about her due date. This is good example of how the way a woman carries a pregnancy and how “big” she looks is not a good indicator of when the baby will come. Glad she wore what she wanted and didn’t give in to pressure to change it.

That's exactly what some of us have been trying to say for months amidst all the noise and speculation. I hope if Meghan and Harry have more children that people will take her at her word when she shares a due date timeline. The speculation around this baby's birth has been out of control. I certainly understand the excitement, but much of this frustration thst's coming out now could have been eased if Meghan had been believed when she said late April/early May. The size of a baby bump is not an indicator of the due date, because every woman carries differently.

But the family are intentionally vague when they talk about due dates...with George, Kate's was "July" which covers a whole 31 days. With Charlotte, it was in the Spring, never more specific than that if I remember correctly. With Louis, Kate said "mid to late April" only when someone asked. There's a reason for them not wanting to pinpoint it down more specifically when speaking publicly, one we may not be aware of. So when Meghan allegedly said when the baby was due, it's understandable that people might not have trusted what she said, because we are used to them not being so specific. After all, if she had lied about it, it would only be to protect her privacy and that of her baby, which is understandable.

With George there was the whole specific parking lot\signs thing which signaled 10 days to 2weeks, as I recall . There was a parking lot sign put up at Frogmore Cottage, too, which triggered speculation about ten days to two weeks more. I believe Charlotte was also announced mid-late April. She actually arrived only two days past that.The main point is that the information for Catherine was given officially per KP. It isn't what was said as much as how it was presented. In addition, Kate's official last scheduled appearance was her last publicised appearance. We were given a date for Meghan officially and then various sources made additions and corrections. We had become accustomed with Catherine to having the baby arrive about a month after the last scheduled appearance so it was assumed that baby Sussex was due about a month from the official date or April 11. It did not help that a number of posts and stories early on praised Meghan for intending to work as close to the birth as possible. It is now heading into May tomorrow.There were "reliable " reports that Lindo Wing staff had been advised not to take vacation in April. Apparently, not that reliable. People, including royal reporters, we're not sure what to believe.There was obviously a disconnect amongst the various palaces and "houses." That is not surprising since there had been recent personnel and public relations outlet changes, amongst other changes. Plus, we keep expecting this pregnancy to follow the pattern Kate set. I think Meghan has made it clear she is not going to walk in Kate's steps.Diana was the one who gave July for William's arrival. He was, of course, born in June. I have read that she became so stressed with the pressure that she was induced for an earlier birth- apparently not a matter of deliberately being evasive. I would have been stressed to think of William's being born on Camilla's birthday.I don't know where this sudden information about April 29 is coming from. Imagine baby Sussex, W&C anniversary, and Catherine's award all hitting the news on the same day!

Pam, I have just returned from a trip down the rabbit hole of the Archives. I am embarrassed to say how long I spent there. I started reading comments and only made it to mid February, 2013. At that point July indeed was the only official indication of when the baby would arrive. I hesitate to make another excursion to verify birth details for Charlotte. My day is already down the tubes. I am pretty sure it was mid-late April, as it was for Louis.The thing about the Cambridge babies is that we knew where they would be born. The media monitored the hospital for signs. Terribly invasive for all concerned.

With Charlotte and Louis the public was told something more specific than with George because they didn't want people and the media camping out in front of the hospital for a whole month before. I think with Charlotte we were told mid to late April. With Louis we were told after the second week of April.

Good point, anon 21:46. We did have more specific info for Charlotte and Louis. I remember there was a bit of a fuss amongst us over the wedding being scheduled so close to Kate's Louis due date. Turns out, she came through like the trooper she is, wrangling bridal attendants and looking gorgeous.

I agree! Part of the reason for me is that Meghan was showing so early, and getting so big by 6 months I felt she should be having the baby in January or February! I really thought it would come in mid-April. I still wonder if it isn't twins.....? I thought of that before but thought, why wouldn't they just say from the start it was twins. But then I think maybe because that the media attention surrounding this pregnancy would be off the charts if it were known in advance it was twins.

And yes, I realize that every women is different and shows differently, some bigger, some larger, not only based on the size of the baby, but on water weight gain (which it appears Meghan has had a lot of), size of the amniotic sac, size of the mother (and Meghan is small). But still I'm hoping there's a chance it's twins!

I agree, Pam and Anon 18:52. Twins - it’s getting a bit late, they would probably have been induced by now. Fluctuations in abdominal size - I think we see that a lot with Meghan. Sometimes she looks really pregnant, then other times not. But I think I saw that she had some abdo bloating prior to pregnancy also. I don’t say that to be nasty or picky, it’s just an observation. Meghan seems to have a tiny waist at times, and other times not at all. Who knows. I just don’t know what to talk about anymore 😂

Pitocin is the pits! If it can be avoided, it should. I had to be induced because my water broke, and it made for a difficult and slow labor. But on the other hand, I’m not sure it was worse than having to stay pregnant for another 10 days or so would have been. :-)

The Queen was hosting family Easter festivities; it is unlikely that she left the castle to zip,down to the Frogmore cottage - just more fluff from the PR machine. Week long Easter activities are planned down to the minute at the castle, and the Queen is not one to break sergeants schedules for spontaneous whimsical visits.

When the palace said that Meghan was due in the spring, I think everyone just immediately thought March baby, and started anticipating the birth of Baby Sussex as soon as March rolled around, although spring is technically from middle of March to middle of June. I can't imagaine why Meghan would "lie" or even "mislead" about her due date. I don't think that's a royal policy, although they may drive everyone crazy by being "vague." From Meghan's remark, that the baby would come either last week in April, or first week in May, which is where we are, anticipating Baby Sussex any day! As to the hopeful folks anticipating twins, based on the size of Meghan's bump(?), would the palace not have said so? Besides, expectant mothers of twins rarely carry past 36 weeks. Here's hoping Baby comes in the next few days! Poor Meghan must be more than ready. Remember Kate with George? Wasn't he about two weeks late?

Yes, imagine that, she actually told when she was due. It seems her due date was probably this week with half in April & half in May. It's so amusing watching the press get all worked up about not being the first to know. It's so clear they only have selfish motives. If you really care about this family, you would be happy to let her deliver in the most healthy way. Having to do a photocall after giving birth is extremely difficult & not putting mom or baby's interest first. So glad they are able to have some privacy during this time.

I read a couple of articles yesterday that said Harry told well-wishers at the London Marathon that Meghan's due date was that day (so, April 27th?). But if that quote were true, wouldn't it have been picked up by more outlets? It's weird to me how confusing and frenzied this has gotten in the media.

If Meghan had already had her 12 week scan before Monday 15 October, then her due date was at the very latest this past Sunday 28 April. My guess is that it was earlier last week, because she probably had the scan before Eugenie’s wedding. Pregnancy due dates are given at the 40 week mark, so it is very easy to count the weeks from the time it was announced. That being said, it is very common for first time moms to be 7-10 days past due date. Also, not to upset anyone, but I don’t believe there is any possible way it is twins. Twins are almost never delivered after 38 weeks and most by 36. So for Meghan, 36 weeks was a month ago. Sending all my love, thoughts, prayers, and well wishes to Meghan and Harry!!! What an exciting time in there lives!

Is it really true that the first baby is often late? My first baby came a couple of days early, the second just one day early, and my last baby was 7 days overdue. Im am curious whether my case is rather the exception therefore?

Guarantee she's had the baby now... The queen does not make house calls just to say hi! They wanted private and I think that means letting them have the baby in peace and telling the world a few days later. I bet we'll get an announcement in the next day or two

I’m wondering ... maybe total conspiracy theory, but ... has Meghan had a Caesar, and is that why they are holding off on the announcement? Maybe when they found out this was going to be the case, they realised that stepping out outside a hospital was not going to be possible.. just a thought.,

I wonder if you are right Royal Watcher. It would make sense given that she is so petite and Harry remarked several times the baby was rather large. Perhaps she is home recuperating and that is why all the visits, HM, William, Kate, and why Harry is out a bit knowing that his wife and newborn are safely tucked away with Doria...

Ladies, I agree with you! I believe that the baby is here and they are enjoying a bit of a family cuddle. I predict a news release with pics this Friday afternoon, and then Harry will accept good wishes with the press on the quick trip to The Hague next week...Or perhaps the excitement is getting to me and I've simply crossed the line to delusional conspiracy theorist?! Either way, I can't wait to meet the little one!

Having said that, why not just have the Caesar, take a beautiful picture of the baby and release it. "Duchess of Sussex is resting up after the birth, and Princess/Prince Alexandra/Alexander is here for all to see" :-). Thank you for your well wishes". Photo of baby attached, maybe a close up of the three of them, faces visible, or sitting down together. That is what I would have done. No stepping out and no further comments required. The way it was managed was perhaps not the best approach to ever come out from Meghan and Harry's PR team, but hey.. Maybe the baby has not even been born yet wink wink

Anna 00:48, a little respect. All post-Caesarean remissions don’t look alike. I connected feet to the ground after a week because the effect of anesthesia was so difficult after my delivery. So Sophie is Sophie, you are you and Meghan is Meghan. And there are women who lose their lives whether it’s after a natural birth or a C-section. Don’t generalize and trivialize each other’s lives. We hope that Meghan is well and that we will have good and beautiful news soon.

So anxious to hear the baby news! But I know we will hear when they're ready to share.

What does everyone think about the sudden rumors the baby will be named Allegra if it's a girl? I read something about that being a way to honor Princess Diana, does anyone know how so? Was that the name she had picked out if she and Prince Charles had a girl or something? Just curious!

Rachel, I just saw something pop up on my phone regarding that name as well and I think I read that it was a name Diana had liked had she had a girl.But honestly I'm afraid to believe anything I am seeing in the news these days because it's all so speculative and everybody is going nuts like we are! Haha!!

I saw that a bit of a crowd has gathered, including my favorite fan Terry Hutt. I do think it's not very considerate, though, when it seems clear that M&H don't want this. Things can go wrong and having strangers wait for you is pretty invasive. Even with all the other royal activities, I am ready to hear the good news!! Read that Allegra was a favorite name of Diana's -- don't know if that's true but it's certainly an interesting name.

That's what I saw too! Agreed, it is an interesting name. I could see them using it though...but I'm hoping they use Victoria for a girl, personally 😂😉 We shall see!

I did think it was telling that Prince Harry has a trip scheduled next week. Even if the baby is born today, that seems a bit early to leave your newborn and wife. But I'm sure he discussed it with Meghan!

My fingers and toes are crossed that we have some good news very soon!!

OK, maybe baby Allegra was born before Easter, and family came to visit then. Why would the Queen come to visit when she would be coming a few days later? Maybe that love-struck look Harry had when talking with Kate was about his new daughter? Being Charlotte's birthday today, I bet we hear something tomorrow. And Charlotte is so adorable!! In addition to looking like Will, I see Eugenie and Emma Watson in her wonderful face.

I believe that Baby Sussex is already here..."She" was born on April 18th and named "Marygrace"..These are just my thoughts, of course, but when the Queen goes for a visit, there must be a very good reason. And then William and Kate visit's as well... Mmmhhh, something is going on...thus wait us nerve-wracking but anyway, they are greta people, all of this is private so they can do whatever they prefer for them and the baby.

From what I read on People.com - https://www.harpersbazaar.com/celebrity/latest/a27335311/meghan-markle-royal-baby-birth-announcement/ - the trip has been scheduled for awhile with the understanding that Harry wouldn't go if it conflicted with the baby's birth, but it's on the schedule because he wants to try to go if at all possible since it's Invictus Games. Their sources assure them that the baby hasn't been born yet, and the article also reiterates that the media will be told when Meghan goes into labour. So I don't think the baby has been born yet.

However, I'm wondering what's going on today. On Prince Louis's birthday, Harry and Meghan wished him Happy Birthday via Instagram. However, no Happy Birthday to Princess Charlotte today so far.....

It occurred to me that, unless I am just wrong, there has been no official announcement that Meghan would try for a home birth. They may have planned all along to go to the local hospital when the time comes.

I starting thinking that she took maternity leave with more than a month to go because she also had to move into the new home. I imagine they are having a wonderful time with Doria, and I bet lots of friends such as Markus and the Clooneys have found their way in secrecy. We don't see Harry coming and going, so they do appear to have lovely privacy. I just try to think of the three of them having tea in the yard when I get impatient.

Ok Guys, here's my scoop & hunch..... it's friday here in London & appears to be a free day for me, so I was making arrangements to go to Windsor & I saw that The Whole Windsor Castle is Closed Today!!! So my hunch is that Something is happening today..... my additional hunch is that I think the baby has already been born & they are going to announce it today, but even if it hasn't.... It could be that things are Scheduled for today. But for Whatever Reason...... Windsor "isn't open to the public today"!! Hmmm...... So I'm going up there, I'll enjoy seeing the press around & the waiting & the town & If There's An Announcement ........ It will be fun to be in the town of Windsor to celebrate! I'll keep you posted on what I see & hear! :) xx

Thank you all for your congrats. Becca, I looked at the Windsor Castle website and read that because it is a working castle, there are scheduled closures, and today is one of those days. I was so disappointed because I was hoping for baby news after reading your post. https://www.rct.uk/visit/windsorcastle##times

Becca, I'm so glad you're "on the ground" for coverage. It looks like the closure has nothing to do with baby Sussex but maybe you can send some "let's have the baby" vibes toward their cottage. After waiting for more than a month, I'm trying to convince myself that it will be in the first week of May and reduced my news checking to only about 10 times a day. Elton John said he/she will arrive "any second," so perhaps that's encouraging. :) Enjoy your Windsor day!!!

If the baby is born around the 8th-10th, that would make almost two months of maternity leave for Meghan. I never thought she would be taking such a long leave. Or maybe I assumed it because Kate’s were always around a month or less. I think that’s the reason people are impatient about the baby, because it’s been too long since we last saw her and assumed she was due earlier than she really was.

I agree, Pam, it seems she’s taking a long maternity leave. I’m wondering if something regarding her health isn’t going on and if she was put on bed rest. She was looking quite puffy the last few weeks that we saw her although I don’t know if that’s a symptom of any condition one might be on bedrest for. I did think it a little odd that she didn’t go to Easter service as it was a family thing and not a work related engagement.

Pam, I think some of the leave was to ready the new house. I'd give her 2 weeks for that, especially considering she is pregnant. Then the baby may be late now.

My husband, who truly does not care about this at all, has been trying to "fix" my anxiety. He assured me that the baby has been born. I didn't believe that, so today he proudly announced that the Queen is at Windsor and therefore the baby is coming. Nice try!

C&C are starting a tour May 8. There were conflicts with press allocations. It was a matter of dividing the press corps between the two or choosing which to cover. It was decided to just postpone that part of Harry's events. I believe the original plan just included the May 9 Invictus Netherlands promotion appearance. The May 8 Amsterdam events in HM's behalf may have been tacked on with lack of coordination with CH\BP. "You're making a trip to Holland you say? The Queen has a bit of business that needs doing in Amsterdam. Let's save some taxpayer funds by combining the two trips." Or so I imagine this mix up came about. Not the best time for it.

2050, I think you are right. Luckily, though, I think the trip on the 9th can be completed in 1 day, so the cancellation avoids Harry staying overnight. They never did say what the 8th event was, though.

Hi guys, I never made it to Windsor, ended up having to do Press & Film Interviews. I did post in Charlotte's newest post. Still think it would be a gas to get up there & putz around the town with all the reporters & fellow Baby Watchers there. :)

Welcome to Mad About Meghan! We do so look forward to reading your thoughts. Constructive, fair debate is always encouraged. Hateful, derogatory terms and insults are not welcome here. This space focuses on Harry and Meghan, not any other member of the Royal family. It's not the place to discuss politics either. Thank you for reading, we look forward to your comments :)